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By Ethan Carter — 3 July 2026 — 3 min read

Los Angeles experienced significant activity at Dodger Stadium during a recent One Piece Night promotion. The event, which offered an exclusive trading card featuring the protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, drew large crowds and generated considerable resale interest. Fans began arriving as early as 7 a.m., leading to extensive lines and increased security measures around the ballpark.

The promotion coincided with a regular season game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. Despite the baseball match, the primary focus for many attendees was the collectible card giveaway. The high demand for tickets made it the most sought-after Dodgers home game of the year, excluding Opening Day, with ticket prices for the 56,000-seat stadium reaching around $300.

High Resale Value and Fan Response

The exclusive One Piece trading card quickly became a valuable item on the secondary market. Initial offers for the card were in the range of $100 to $150, but within minutes, some buyers were offering upward of $600. Some fans sold their cards at the game for $600, while listings on online marketplaces like eBay showed prices climbing to more than $700 later in the night. On Mercari Japan, a secondary market, cards were reportedly selling for over $1,000, with accompanying commemorative straw hats fetching more than $100.

This surge in value for One Piece cards follows a trend seen with Pokémon cards, where promotional freebies have gained significant cultural and financial importance. The Dodgers had previously partnered with One Piece for a promotional night in 2025, and last year’s Dodgers promo card reportedly sold for as much as $19,000 in peak condition. This precedent contributed to the intense interest in the current giveaway.

The popularity of these cards has led to overwhelming responses at other events. For instance, college basketball games across the country that offered One Piece promo cards experienced such high demand that one institution, St. John’s, reportedly canceled its final promo night due to security concerns. Similarly, a collaboration with Musée Grévin in Paris, which planned to distribute 50,000 cards, had to be suspended because of surging crowds. Cards from that event were later selling for around $900 on eBay.

Logistical Challenges and Increased Inventory

The scene at Dodger Stadium was described as a frenzy, with hundreds of ticket holders entering the park, collecting their cards, and immediately seeking to acquire more. Security officials noted that the excitement surrounding this promotion surpassed that of popular bobblehead and Hello Kitty giveaways from previous years. Law enforcement attempted to manage the in-person secondary market, with one police officer trying to deter card transactions.

In response to anticipated demand and potential security concerns, the Dodgers increased the inventory of giveaway items. The promotion, initially planned for the first 40,000 fans, was expanded to include the first 52,000 ticket holders, ensuring that almost every attendee would receive a card and a co-branded straw hat. Despite this increase, long pre-game lines persisted.

The Dodgers’ growing ties to Japanese pop culture, fueled by the signing of players like Shohei Ohtani, have contributed to the success of such promotions. The collaboration with One Piece, a major Japanese entertainment franchise that debuted as a manga in July 1997, highlights this connection. Fans attending the game could also participate in One Piece-themed festivities at Centerfield Plaza, including a life-sized trading card display, photo opportunities, and a drone show before the game.

The event drew fans from various locations, including Ozzy Baldwin, who drove from Arkansas, and Ben Painter, who traveled from Vancouver, British Columbia. The promise of 52,000 cards did not deter the long pregame lines, and the event created a full day of activity where baseball, for one night, played a secondary role.

Source: nytimes.com